Australia offers some of the world’s best scuba diving sites, all of which offer an incredible experience in terms of marine life and access to coral reefs.

If you’re not aiming for a particular part of Australia (because you have friends or relatives who live there that you want to spend time with) then the country’s your oyster, so to speak. After all there are more than 11,000 beaches that are located on every side of the country; at least 8,222 islands located within its maritime borders; and this unique country offers access to hundreds of coastal reefs on both its western and eastern sides.

So, once you have arranged your flights and travel insurance, there are many great sites for scuba diving in Australia; these are three of the best.

The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is located off the east coast of Australia, and is within the territory of Queensland. Well known as being “the world’s largest living structure” the Great Barrier Reef is also “the only living organic collective visible from Earth’s orbit”, as the Australian Government states on its web site.

In fact the only way to really appreciate the sheer size and spectacle of the Great Barrier Reef is to see it from above. It covers more than 300,000 km² or 115,830 square miles, and incorporates some 3,000 individual reefs of different sizes. There are also many islands scattered through the reef area, along with numerous, indescribably beautiful coral cays.

If you choose to dive the Great Barrier Reef, you’ll be assured of seeing a multitude of marine species and other wildlife: from more than 200 bird species, to turtles, dolphins, whales, sharks and more than 1,500 other species of fish, about 4,000 types of mollusk and of course more coral species than you could ever imagine.

Unfortunately pollution (and probably climate change) has had a marked toll on the Great Barrier Reef, and the Australian Government has had to take urgent steps to prevent the situation deteriorating further. With more than 2,000,000 people visiting the reef each year, this is a task that has to be tackled with great sensitivity.

Before you visit the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, find out where you are allowed to scuba dive and make sure you tread gently. Don’t leave more of a footprint than you need to.

Ningaloo Reef
Located on the west coast of Australia, near Coral Bay and the fishing town of Exmouth, Ningaloo Reef is not anywhere near as well known as the Great Barrier Reef, and so it is less populated – particularly in terms of scuba divers. Nevertheless, it is, like the Great Barrier Reef, a World Heritage Site and many people who have dived both sites often say they prefer the latter, even though it is tiny when compared to the greatest reef on earth!

Identified as the largest fringing coral reef, Ningaloo is an awesome scuba diving site because it caters for every level of diver, from complete amateur to those who are highly experienced. It’s close to the shore, and there are parts where you can literally paddle out and see some amazing fish with the least amount of effort. If you want to get a bit further out to the reef, a number of sailing charter boats offer Ningaloo Reef diving tours.

Highlights of Ningaloo Reef include swimming alongside gentle-giant whale sharks and witnessing their annual aggregation, where hundreds of these incredible creatures gather along the coral reef. Another is turtle spotting, particularly in the mating season when tens of thousands of turtles make their nests along this stunning section of Australian coast.

Scott and Seringapatam Reefs
While the Great Barrier Reef is on the east coast of Australia, and Ningaloo is on the west coast, these stunning reefs are located in the north-west, above the also amazing Rowley Shoals in the Timor Sea. There are as many as four separate reef structures here, and all well worth diving (provided you know what you are dong – it’s not a place for amateurs).

Scott Reef is described as a “coral atoll” and the water around it ranges in depth from 400 m to 700 m (or in feet, from about 1,300 to 2,300). This is one of the most remote reefs you will ever find, and apart from being great for scuba diving, it’s a brilliant spot for snorkeling and for fishing.

This week reform is blossoming across the beautiful country of Burma. We remember the hushed whispers about then prisoned “The Lady.” Two years later that lady is free and this week claims victory to a historic election. Cautiously hopeful a new day is dawning in Burma, here are portraits of the gently resilient Burmese.

Parasol Makers | Inle Lake, Burma

Thanaka Baby | Bagan, Burma

Fisherman | Inle Lake, Burma

The Long Walk Home | Inle Lake, Burma

Cheroot, Burmese Cigar | Bagan, Burma

Boat Driver | Inle Lake, Burma

Giving of the Alms | Mandalay, Burma

Luongi Maker Hard at Work | Mandalay, Burma

Karen Woman | Inle Lake, Burma

Scenes from Inle Lake | Burma

Rush Hour | Yangon, Burma

Lady Shepherd | Bagan, Burma

Street Vendor | Yangon, Burma

Morning Commute | Mandalay, Burma

Baby on Board | Inle Lake, Burma

A: Age you went on your first international trip:

Ryan: I am somewhat ashamed to admit that going to Mexico for Spring Break when I was 19 was my first international trip. Even that immature version of myself enjoyed being out of my comfort zone. This was not, however, the trip that sparked my interest in travel.

Laura: I was 16 when I left to go to Costa Rica for 3 weeks as part of a high school class trip.

B: Best (foreign) beer you’ve had and where:

Ryan: I love trying local beers wherever I go so this is tough. But if I had to choose one, it has to be Guinness. I can drink it for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the best pints seemed to be poured at The Great Southern Hotel bar in Galway.

Laura: Little Creatures Pale Ale in Melbourne, Australia.

C: Cuisine (favorite):

This answer is going to get old: India. Absolutely zero question any cuisine in the world is more flavorful. That’s not an opinion; it’s a fact.

D: Destinations, favorite, least favorite and why:

Favorite: India (I told you it will get old), because nowhere made us feel and think so much.

Least favorite: Probably Egypt. I’m coming around to it with time and would actually like to return, but I still feel there are very fundamental ideological differences between us that I found difficult to bridge.

E: Event you experienced abroad that made you say “wow”:

Ryan: First one that springs to mind at the moment is Gay Mardi Gras in Sydney. I said “wow” a lot taking in the festivities there.

Laura: Carnaval in Rio is a month-long non-stop event. Spending 10 days in Rio leading up to Carnaval with all the neighborhood festivals was an incredible event to experience.

F: Favorite mode of transportation:

Ryan: I am big, big fan of walking. But, nothing beats renting a bike/scooter in a foreign country. The feeling of independence I felt in Cambodia, Thailand and Greece on motorbikes was thrilling.

Laura: Can’t beat transport that doubles as a home. I loved our camper in NZ and our huge 4×4 truck with the tent pitched on top in southern Africa.

G: Greatest feeling while traveling:

Ryan: The times of total independence. In New Zealand in our camper and in Botswana in our 4×4 jeep with flip-top tent.

Laura: Not thinking about work and waking up thinking, “I wonder what we’ll do today!”

H: Hottest place you’ve traveled to:

4-way tie: Luxor, Egypt; Jaisalmer, India; Mandalay, Burma; Kerala, India. All were over 100, some 115 dry heat and the others 100 with 100 percent humidity.

I: Incredible service you’ve experienced and where:

These places I’ve taken note of and recommended countless times for their thoughtful service: Pousada Xama in Pipa, Brazil; Thongbay Guest House in Luang Prabang, Laos; Baan Orapin Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand; DeviGarh Palace outside of Udaipur, India; Kankarwa Haveli in Udaipur, India; Radjhani Restaurant in Mumbai, India.

J: Journey that took the longest:

62 hour bus from Arequipa, Peru to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

K: Keepsake from your travels:

Greatest are photos and videos we have of our time with the kids at Mazabuka Orphanage

L: Let-down sight, why and where:

Pyramids in Giza, because we don’t like incessantly pushy people or KFC.

M: Moment where you fell in love with travel:

Ryan: Backpacking through Europe for 3 weeks with a college buddy before studying abroad in Galway, Ireland. Those 3 weeks introduced me, way too quickly, to so many different cultures, peoples and ideas that, as an experiential learner, I knew travel was going to be the greatest drain on income for the rest of my life.

Laura: First trip outside the U.S. to Costa Rica.

N: Nicest hotel you’ve stayed in:

Chedi Club at Tanah Gajah in Ubud, Bali. We can’t even talk about it.

O: Obsession—what are you obsessed with taking pictures of while traveling?:

Ryan: Food.

Laura: People, especially in colorful India.

P: Passport stamps, how many and from where?

Not sure and not enough.

Q: Quirkiest attraction you’ve visited and where:

Probably somewhere in Wisconsin and involving a big plaster version of an animal.

R: Recommended sight, event or experience:

Sight: Taj Mahal is really, really impressive; Event: Carnaval in Rio ; Experience: Campervanning in New Zealand.

S: Splurge; something you have no problem forking over money for while traveling:

Ryan: Food, beer and opting out of tours.

Laura: A nice place to lay my head after traveling “hard” for several days or weeks.

T: Touristy thing you’ve done:

Lots of things. Some places everyone should visit, even it if means having to with a hundred others.

U: Unforgettable travel memory:

Driving back to our camp in Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana when we came across 40 elephants walking together with the sun setting behind them. It was the most beautiful thing we’d ever seen.

V: Visas, how many and for where?

Not sure, but wish we could skip past the applications and do more of the traveling.

W: Wine, best glass of wine while traveling and where?

A damn good question and fun to answer! For pleasure purposes, best glasses of wine were after getting engaged and running and drinking our way through the Medoc Marathon in France.

X: eXcellent view and from where?:

10,000 feet skydiving out of a plane in Lake Taupo, New Zealand or anywhere in Switzerland.

Y: Years spent traveling?:

Ryan: 3

Laura: 3

Z: Zealous sports fans and where?:

La Boca and River Plate fans in Buenos Aires.

There are a lot of terrible travel blogs out there. These travel blogs are anything but. Always informative and enjoyable to read, here are some great travel blogs we’d like to see create their Travel ABC’s:

Two Go Round the World
Go Backpacking
Uncornered Market

Here are the good, the bad and the ugly of the most interesting airports we visited around the world.

The Good

Suvarnabhumi Airport – Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok's airport is a temple of contemporary architecture

Like Bangkok, the airport caters to an eclectic mix of people. Standing next to the airport’s Islamic prayer room were Thai ladyboys, and down the hallway in the airport’s slick food court were tubby, gruff Aussies with tiny, Thai women on their arms. It’s hard to decide which is the bigger spectacle – the airport’s clean, cool architectural modernity or the constantly moving zoo of humans it it, where people-watching is elevated to sport.

Changi International Airport – Singapore

Singapore's airport tops our list of best places to lay over

For something more low-tech, those on long layovers can actually get spa treatments or take a shower at the facilities in the airport. What really impressed us, though, were the two separate 24-hour napping areas, the six open-air garden areas and the array of shops that read like a who’s who of luxury retailers: Hermes, Prada, Gucci and Bulgari.

Because of our timing – we arrived from Sydney late at night and had an early-morning flight to Mumbai – we decided not to take advantage of the special pass offered to tourists, like us, on extended layovers to tour central Singapore for a few hours. All in all, Changi, for our money…er,time, is our favorite place to lay over.

The Odd

Bhadrapur Airport – Southeast of Nowhere, Nepal

No irony intended with the VIP sign at Nepal's Bhadrapur Airport

Third world airports aren't good for nervous flyers

Once on the plane, the pilot eyes you by height and weight and shuffles the passengers around to keep the plane’s “equilibrium,” always fun to hear any time you’re in a moving object…flying in the sky…through the Himalayas. Needless to say, we made it safely with some spectacular mountain views Nepal is famous for. But this is one memorable travel experience I’m OK with looking back on and not eager to re-live.

Kilimanjaro International Airport – Moshi/Arusha, Tanzania

Kilimanjaro International Airport (JRO) is dubbed "the gateway to Africa's wildlife"

JRO, as its known in airport code, is situated between Arusha, where most visitors embark on wildlife adventures in the nearby Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater or across the border to Kenya’s game parks, and Moshi, where trekkers attempt to summit Africa’s highest mountain for which the airport is eponymously named, Mt. Kilimanjaro.

We first picked up Laura’s dad from here when he met us for some African adventure. He couldn’t believe that the 747 he was on was going to land in what he thought was a field. I got a taste of what he was talking about when I flew to Nairobi from JRO. Because I didn’t receive a wake-up call at my hotel, I was very worried security was not going to let me through to my gate when I arrived 40 minutes before my flight was set to depart, well under the 2 hours suggested for international flights.

What a laugh. Airports like these are my favorite – small, easily manageable and which represent the destination itself. Like Tanzanians, the airport was warm, welcoming and laid back. The security guard was one of about 15 people total in the airport and didn’t fuss about my late arrival. He calmly scanned my bag in seconds, leaving me plenty of time to enjoy the fruits of this quaint, aeronautical operation.

On a clear day after a storm, it's possible to get a view of snow-capped Mt. Kilimanjaro

The Ugly

Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport – Mumbai, India

Mumbai's airport doesn't do much to contradict negative stereotypes

The place is a dump, to put it bluntly. A disorganized, bureaucratically corrupt dump. Laura and I walked out of baggage claim to find filthy, squat toilets in one of the world’s busiest airports. An airport official charged me 300 rupees to hire a taxi, which I realized shortly after was not an official price but an arbitrary one. The terminal hallway was dusty, old and prison-like. We were, at 6 a.m. local time, quickly shocked into “we are in India now” mode.

In all honesty, I didn’t really expect anything different from Mumbai’s airport. India is still a very poor nation, after all. It’s just that through traveling so many of my expectations had been subverted by the reality of a place. Yet, here I finally was in India, and the stereotypes generated through email chain pictorials with subject titles like “Is your country this crazy?” were proving truer than the impressions painted by Western media of a burgeoning economy on the cusp, along with China, of becoming the world’s next great superpower.

To be fair, in doing some research, I learned that over a billion dollars has been spent already to modernize Mumbai’s international airport, with pictures to prove it. It’s likely then that we arrived to an old gate in an old terminal. Still, double digit annual GDP growth India might have, but it has some serious PR problems on its hands if this is what half of the country’s main airport looks like.

Café Tortoni

Argentina's most famous cafe - Cafe Tortoni

Café Tortoni’s service is gruff, but always impeccable. You won’t mind that your waiter is not trying to chat you up after ordering the piping-hot churros and chocolate. Waiters expertly serve rich hot chocolate from still richer-looking copper kettles and matching cups. You will need the accompanying milk to relax the thick, lava-like chocolate. After dipping a warm, sugar-coated churro in your hot chocolate, you will feel the guilt that comes with such decadence, but not enough to deter you from dipping again and again.

If you need a jolt after the soporific chocolate indulgence, order a cortado, or espresso, to get your mettle back. Then, take a peak behind the velvet curtains to take in one of the café’s tango shows or head to the back to shoot some pool. Undoubtedly, after such an elegant experience and a look around at the walls of Café Tortoni, you will leave with a better history of the city and understanding of its people.

Café Richmond

Amidst the frenetic chaos of Florida Street, Cafe Richmond is a bastion of cool and calm

The décor is classic 1920’s with old chandeliers casting a warm glow over the long, meandering room. There are places still where a heavy haze of smoke just seems right. Café Richmond is one of them. Although smoking was banned in indoor bars and cafés a few years ago here in Buenos Aires, there are a few loopholes to get around the law. For this and to appease many of its clientele that have been frequenting the café for years, there is a smoking solarium toward the back. The bathrooms of the café are equally impressive in their décor and are worth a gander (seriously) when you patronize the place. Hang out at The Richmond long enough and you might begin to channel the writing voices of two of its leading habitués – Graham Greene and Jorge Luis Borges.

Cafe Richmond on Calle Florida is where Mad Men congregate

Café La Biela

La Biela is where the tres chic Portenos come for their cafe con leche

Patrons of La Biela have the fortune of enjoying their café con leche alfresco. Outside, one can enjoy a favorite Porteno pastime, people-watching. Indulge your curiosities and pass judgment on (or pretend to be totally indifferent to) the many tourists taking in impromptu tango shows, snapping photos of Recoleta Cemetery or admiring the bright white Nuestra Senora de Pilar Catholic church. In cooler months, this is a great place to warm yourself in the afternoon sun; during summer, cool off in the shade if you can snag a table underneath the great limbs of the famed ombu trees with their Wizard of Oz-like appearance.

Patio area at La Biela shaded by the long-limbed ombu tree

Las Violetas

The stained glass windows of Almagro's Las Violetas is more coffee cathedral than cafe

Enter through the gold-plated revolving door on Avenida Rivadavia and you will think you’ve entered a café built by Willy Wonka – the 1920’s version. The first thing you’ll notice are the magnificent glass cases filled with every type of sweet pastry your heart could desire: giant alfajores – mini shortbread cakes filled with dulce de leche and coated with sugar – and their baby offspring, fruit cakes, medialunas, cherry danishes, chocolate pastries, cakes and éclairs.

Like many other cafes of its time that sadly no longer exist, Las Violetas is enormous, having enough space to seat 200 guests at one time. Ceilings flaunting gold chandeliers rise 30 feet above finely-crafted Italian marble floors. The café was made more European during the 1920′s by the addition of French stained glass windows, giving it a bright, airy and open feeling. Female or not, one must head upstairs where the ladies’ restroom is located to take a gander at the café in all of its glory.

In a nod to Arthur Guinness, Las Violetas serves its coffee black as oil and thick as mud with a white, frothy, bubbling top. If tea is more your cup, then look no further than the Maria Cala tea service – an over-the-top spread of scones, finger sandwiches, cakes and pastries, meant for three, but large enough for six!

Bar and cafe at Alvear Palace Hotel in Recoleta

The Old Course at St. Andrew’s – St. Andrews, Scotland

Road Hole Bunker at The Old Course at St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland

The Ocean Course – Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA

Lowcountry Links at The Ocean Course in Kiawah, South Carolina

Banff Springs Golf Course – Banff, Alberta, Canada

Banff Springs Golf Course winds along the Bow River in Canada's Rocky Mountains

Fancourt Links Course – George, South Africa

The Links at Fancourt, a Gary Player-designed course situated along South Africa's Garden Route

Kauri Cliffs Golf Course – Bay of Islands, North Island, New Zealand

The Kauri Cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean on New Zealand's North Island

This was a sponsored post. All of the opinions are those of Round We Go. It’s our promise that we will never accept a sponsorship or endorse a company or product that does not match the general interests of our readers…unless it seriously lines our pockets, then we hope you’ll understand.

Disneyland or Xi'an, China? I can't really tell...

“I think if we were to visit the country China at Disneyworld’s Epcot Center, it would be eerily similar to the China we’re experiencing here,” remarked Laura in the final days of our visit. I could not agree more. It is no wonder that China limits visitors’ stays to 30 days. It seems that each day longer we stayed in China, we began to see past the pretty facades of hastily-erected new structures and started to notice the fissures. Even without China’s artificially advantageous exchange rate, everything seemed and felt cheap, and not in a good way.

Our introduction to China came in the form of Tibet’s euphemistically named “Friendship Highway” and the newly-completed and very impressive Lhasa-to-Beijing railroad. After discovering what the Chinese government had done to the ancient and historical Buddhist religious center of Tibet, we were not too surprised to see greater(?) development when we arrived to Xi’an, the midway point on our transcontinental trip. Xi’an is most widely known for the famous Terracotta Warriors, and dictated, in large part, our decision to visit this classic, walled city.

The Dallas Cowboys' "Jerryworld" can't compare to China's Terracotta Superdome

This theme of making a strong impression was evident all around the city of Xi’an. The city walls, ancient even by European standards, are an incredible sight to see. Tourists and locals are permitted to ride atop the extremely wide city walls and take in a bird’s-eye view of the city. All around us as we rode, we saw cranes knocking over the old and building the new. Only the new was meant to look old – that’s the weird part. Instead of protecting the original structures or working to refurbish them, the Chinese government seemed to have decided that it would be cheaper, easier and faster to tear down and build from scratch. So, as much as I was absolutely blown away by how advanced China’s infrastructure seemed to be, I couldn’t help but wonder how long it will last.

Riding bikes atop Xian's city walls in its circular park

In many ways, through my verbal and written critiques of the Chinese, I feel hypocritical. The first Americans did painfully little to preserve Native American art, cultures, traditions and worse yet – peoples. As a country we’ve done much to denigrate our environment. But, it’s because of these mistakes why I expect more from a developing country like China. Learn from our mistakes is what I’m asking.

I guess if our visit to China taught us one thing, it would be that one month is way too short to understand its past and too long for us to want to understand its future. The facades may fool you at first; they certainly did me. But stay long enough, and you’ll come away with more questions about China’s future than you had when you arrived.

Indian mayhem in the Paharganj neighborhood of Delhi - craziest place on Earth

Be experienced, I mean. That is the question. Everyone, love it or hate it, will tell you that India is a notoriously difficult country to travel. The most challenging aspect of Indian travel is the overwhelming feeling of helplessness one experiences when faced with such extreme, abject poverty. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the myriad emotions I experienced upon my arrival.

Rickshaw driver on the streets of the Parhaganj in Delhi, India

Indians' warmth comes in many different ways, sometimes in the form of a flower

“We had a meal yesterday that sums up all of India for me so far. It was exquisite and alarming. Upon walking in, we were sat, and within seconds we had waiters clapping and dishes arriving at our places at a punishing pace. Then, the owner described in the most gracious way how we should eat all this wonderful Indian food that lay before us. This still did not deter the other patrons from looking at us like we were in a zoo and laughing, but our food was too good to even care. The flavors and tastes in one meal will make everything else I eat moving forward “less than.” There were piquant spices followed by sweetness and then tumbling into sour, breads upon breads upon breads, one more delicious than the next, and the desserts – Jesus, the desserts!

Indian thali at Radjhani restaurant in Mumbai

India's inhabitants make up a huge melting pot of peoples, cultures and religions

20 million people in this city. There is so much sadness and I see things that break my heart. Everything is in so many ways, all wrong. I am surprised, however, at how easily I’ve been able to look past this. I don’t think this is the work of travel and seeing the plight of poverty in so many places. It’s the people themselves. There is a humor and respect from the people for all things and so they don’t seem to feel sorry for themselves in the ways we would at home.

Even when they stare – and they stare! intently, purposefully, and directly into your eyes – there is a genuine curiosity. Foreigners are still rare enough I suppose. The poorest people here seem happy at times and in various ways tend to enjoy life, something unimaginable considering their circumstances.

Indian children are curious

Indian men are really curious

Men holding hands as they walk is what struck me my very first day here in Mumbai. While Indians unfortunately still carry homophobic views, men here do not have any of the hang-ups about showing non-sexual affection with each other, something I find to be exceptionally rare in any culture. People are generally so warm and inviting that, as a tourist, I am already growing tired of having to tell people where I am from, why I come to India and that, yes, I am married, and, no, I do not have kids.”

The vibrant colors of India

Fiji is not an island, like I had always imagined. Rather, it is an archipelago of 333 islands that vary greatly. First, in size: many are but a blip on a map, capable of being circumnavigated in minutes. Others, like the mainland, Viti Levu, are quite large and require several days to tour around; Second, in landscape: there are volcanic islands, full of dry, scrub brush and rocky beaches, and others still with dense jungles enveloped by pristine, white beaches and a veil of mint green water; Third, and most notably, in cost: island resorts run the gamut from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous (with one island resort going for a cool $70,000 USD a night) to all-inclusive backpacker hostels on the high-end of cheap.

Travelers typically choose to concentrate their time on one of the two main chains of islands – the Mamanucas closer to the main island or the Yasawas further north. Prices to both islands proved to be quite expensive due to a monopoly on the ferry trade, with the trip to the Yasawas double in cost. We quickly learned that the bartering methods we had mastered in Brazil and Argentina were a foreign concept to the Fijians. In the end, we decided that Mama knows best. We opted for the closer Mamanuca group of islands and set sail for our soon-to-be home, the $30 dorm bunk beds of Ratu Kini Backpackers Hostel on the island of Mana.

Like almost all of the island resorts, the cost was inclusive of a compulsory meal plan. Typically, I enjoy eating as a way of experiencing a culture, so I was a bit dismayed to learn that my restaurant and meal would be chosen for me. However, after arriving to Ratu Kini on the island of Mana, it became apparent very quickly why this is the case. All of the islands are very small, and still very well preserved. A slew of bars and restaurants on each island would only deteriorate the condition of the islands rapidly and take away from the beauty – which, simply, is why everyone is there in the first place.

Each day was spent doing something that we could hardly imagine doing just last week when we were home in St. Louis for Christmas. Again, because the islands are very small and there are no outside establishments, the resorts and hostels come up with some very creative ways to keep guests entertained. Similar to camp, each night had a theme. The theme of our first night was “Fijian Fun” with a traditional kava ceremony and some very entertaining Fijian songs and dancing. The next night at Ratu Kini consisted of a ridiculous cross-dressing session that was taken way too seriously by way too many people. It quickly became Studio 54 on acid. After happy hour – consisting of “stubbies” or short, fat, apothecary-esque bottles of Fiji Bitter or Gold – we witnessed the head dive instructor dressed as a femme fatale in a dance-off with the other cross-dressed guests. His/her dance included some very lewd and hilarious moves that would make top-end strippers envious. It ended as all great things do, with his 2-year old daughter confused and crying in the audience, asking, “Daddy, what are you doing?!”

Days began with the gulping of Fiji water (yep – they actually do drink Fiji water in Fiji, and it’s not $15 a bottle like in Vegas) to ward off any hangover that could’ve existed from the previous night’s fun and a communal breakfast with the other campers. We went for hikes around the island, through jungle forests, snorkeled and hired a boat with several others for an island-hopping adventure to take advantage of Fiji‘s beautiful waters.

We ventured to Matamanoa where we pretended to be guests at the posh resort and then to Monuriki, where they filmed the movie “Castaway.” Our group was pleasantly surprised to find the “Tom Hanks island” empty, with the exception of two nudist couples. Fortunately, we arrived before the big touring groups and were able to hike to the top to the caves and check out the incredible views of the surrounding islands.

After two days, we were ready to leave behind the camp-style life and took the bait on a great deal the Walu Beach Resort was offering on the island of Malolo. With the Australian reality TV show “The Resort” cancelled, the literally made-for-TV resort is in limbo and was offering free upgrades for guest staying in dorms to beachfront bures. Bures are the traditional thatch-roofed huts with pitched roofs. It was a second honeymoon of sorts, with a deluxe bedroom, two bathrooms and a sitting room, all with ocean views.

We took advantage of the resort’s amenities, including an ocean-front pool, hammocks and sea kayaks to head out to a reef to snorkel. There, we saw yellow sting rays with bright blue polka dots, Nemo, zebra fish, electric blue starfish, a sea snake and, on my last day, a shark! It wasn’t huge – only about a foot and a half long – but it was so incredible to turn around and see a shark right in front of my eyes (not to worry, it wasn’t a Great White and was far less interested in me than I was in him).

Our last day we spent on the main island and had fun drowning stubbies of the local micro-brew, Vono, and hashing over camp-life with other travelers we had met along the way. While initially disappointed in the camp life that was Fiji for us budget travelers, we came to appreciate the forced fun. We were both quick to realize that we had met and formed friendships with more people in the five days we were on the islands than we had in the six weeks we were in Brazil, where we stayed in private rooms in pousadas. Budget travelers, do not fear. Take our advice, there is still a place yet for you in the wonderful isles of Fiji.

Click on the following link for more info on Cheap Fiji Holidays.

We stand behind our decision to follow summer around the globe for a year, but with the holiday season upon us, we’ve got fresh pow pow and winter wonderlands on our minds. In no particular order, here are a few of our dream ski getaways around the world and a few we’re just dying to get back to.

Chamonix, France

Photo courtesy of Xronis.

There is this ring to the destination “Chamonix” that has always had my ears buzzing. Even in my unbearably painful attempt at a French accent, in just whispering its sacred syllables the name itself has a soothing zing. This alpine classic is set in the French Alps, at the foot of Mont Blanc. With one of the highest concentrations of alpine routes and arguably the most challenging slopes in Europe, Chamonix tops our list of dream ski holidays.

Photo courtesy of shashmalegear.

Sitting atop the highest peak in the Alps and the second highest in all of Europe, it is also home to one of the world’s longest ski runs, Valle Blanch, at 13.7 miles. The five hour descent from one of the highest cable cars in Europe is considered, by many, the greatest off-trail skiing in the world. Looks to me like the perfect place to go for a ski weekend, a winter retreat…or how about a lifetime.

San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Argentina’s most picturesque city is set in the stunning lake district of northern Patagonia. Officially known as San Carlos de Bariloche, this Swiss-inspired town is surrounded by towering, white-capped Andes peaks looking out over grand Nahuel Huapi Lake. The town is dotted with quaint, rustic architecture with a distinctly Patagonian twist and during winter months – June through August – you’ll find enough snow coverage to impress even the most avid winter sports enthusiasts.

Photo courtesy of Le Dion.

The ski resort, known as Cerro Catedral, is located 20 minutes from downtown Bariloche. The resort resembles more of a peaceful, alpine hamlet sitting at the foothills of the mountains yet boasts the largest lift-accessed ski terrain in all of South America. On our 2005 visit to Cerro Catedral, we learned the terrain is well-suited for intermediate and advanced skiers and we spent many a days enjoying the extensive network of ‘tree-skiing’ paths. Most notable were the majestic views over glistening Nahuel Huapi Lake and hunkering in at night in this fairytale setting over hearty Patagonian meals of wild boar, venison and smoked trout.

Zermatt, Switzerland

Admiring the rolling green hills of the impossibly perfect pastoral landscapes on our recent summer holiday to Zermatt, only wet our palettes. We’re now overwrought with desire to return to hit these Swiss slopes. One of the world’s most elite ski destinations (and a price tag to match), Zermatt is built into the slopes of the Swiss Alps, at the foot of the legendary Matterhorn. People come from all over the world for the glitz and glam that surround this mountain icon, but skiing among the ever-dominant panorama of one of the most beautiful and precipitous mountains in the world is the real draw. The swish après ski scene doesn’t hurt either.

Queenstown, New Zealand

Photo courtesy of Piero Damiani.

Another destination we hit up in the summer and would be equally pleased to experience in the winter is Queenstown, New Zealand. Set in the pristine Lake District of the South Island of New Zealand, Queenstown sits before the unrivaled backdrop of the Southern Alps on the shores of Lake Wakatipu. The New Zealand ski season runs from June through October and basing yourself in Queenstown would give access to two main ski resorts: Coronet Peak and the eponymously named Remarkables – a saw-toothed range of mountains on the opposite side of the lake from town.

Photo courtesy of Piero Damiani.

What we loved about Queenstown is that it looks like a small town, but has the energy of a large city. Due to its proximity to mountains, lakes and forests, you’ll have access to any extreme sport you care to think of and you pretty much find any adventure sport activity within an hour’s drive. The town attracts a wealth of international travelers at all times throughout the year so if you’re looking for a more independent experience you can easily get out and about and explore the awe-inspiring wilderness further up the lake at more remote Glenorchy.

Portillo, Chile

Chile is synonymous with the Andes and we hear there is no better place for a true Andean adventure than in Portillo. Like the ski season of New Zealand and Argentina, Chile’s ski season is upside down, providing a chance to escape the sweltering heat of the summer for a snow holiday on the slopes.

Located about 100 miles from Santiago, Portillo is Chile’s premier ski destination and oldest ski resort – in existence for more than 50 years. With an average snowfall of about 30 feet and 80 percent sunny days, conditions are ideal. A few accolades under its belt, it is the only ski resort in South America to host the Alpine World Ski Championships and several ski speed records have been set here. Skiing within view of majestic Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere standing at 22,841-feet, is the true highlight.

Photo courtesy of Gavin Klocek.

The journey to Portillo is an adventure in and of itself. While we never stopped off to test out the slopes, we made the journey across the Trans-Andes Highways, past Portillo, a handful of times en route to the nearby border between Chile and Argentina. The route in Chile (pictured above) is far steeper than the Argentine side. In the last few miles before Portillo, near the Cristo Redentor Tunnel, the road steeply snakes through the Andes in 29 switchback curves till it reaches the two-mile long Cristo Redentor tunnel. Exiting the tunnel here, on a clear day, you can look out and see towering Cerro Aconcagua rising above into the heavens. Reason enough, I think, to visit Portillo.

The preceding was a sponsored post though the opinions expressed are our own. For more information on ski holidays and for booking your France ski holiday, visit here. For more information about sponsored posts, email us at roundwego@roundwego.com.